Hotshot Showcase: Roman Muradov

Alright, sorry my vicious ponies for the absence but tonight I'm bringing to you a very cool illustrator and comic artist you just must get to know. He hails from Moscow and has a great, melancholic/ironic undertones to his art and stories as well as a wonderfully flowing inking style. Without further ado, Roman!

 

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself, your background and how you got into this field? When do you know you were an artist?

I studied Oil & Gas Engineering in cold scary Moscow for 5 years and worked in the field for two, it was the most dreadful time of my life. By the end of my 'proper' degree I started drawing little cartoons & writing articles for fun. They were utterly monstrous, since I had never tried drawing before, but people loved it for some reason and eventually I started drawing comic strips for a local paper. It took me another 3 years of wallowing in self-loathing and drawing like a 5 year old before I decided to take it seriously and dedicate more time to the matter. So it's only 2-3 years ago that I went to San Francisco and started drawing & writing daily. In short, my life is a waste.

Can you tell us about some your projects you're working on? What are your favorite genres to work in?

I'm finishing a short comic for the second volume of Anthology Project. It's a rather sweet story about a square-headed poet and his dog. Well, it's of course terribly twisted and absurd as most of my work, but underneath lies a simple and heartwarming tale. You just have to dig through layers of obscure references to find it. I try not to limit myself to a genre, but people mostly describe my stories as 'tragicomic' and 'absurdist'.

What are some of your inspirations that influenced your work? 

The list is infinite and constantly growing. Among other all-time favorite artist & writers are Tove Jansson, Chekhov, Stephen Fry, Thomas Fielding, Camus, Jamie Hewlett, Koji Morimoto, Kafka, Magnetic Fields, Marcel Ayme, Nabokov, Daniel Clowes, Bulgakov, Herge, Oscar Wilde etc etc etc. Recently I've been obsessed with Alfred Jarry, Raymond Queneau, Boris Vian and other modernist writers, art of Nemiri, De Crecy and Jason. 

Is there an underlying message or theme that you have in your work? What is it you want the audience to get out of your work?

I suppose it's different from story to story, but I always try to fit as much between lines (written and drawn) as possible. I hope my stories appear funny & entertaining to those who flip through the pages and only want to read the jokes and to those who like to dig deeper alike. I'd hate to look elitist or pretentious. My work is very personal, but I believe the themes I cover are rarely unfamiliar to a modern reader.

Can you tell us a bit about your creative process?

Story ideas usually pop out of the most unexpected places, I write them down and sometimes (most rarely) two or three of them work together. For every comic that I finish, there are literally hundreds of ideas and concepts buried in sketchbooks and notes. As for actual process, I spend most of the day reading, drinking and sketching. Around night I sit down for 4-5 hours and draw until I pass out. Not particularly healthy, but my brain seems to be absolutely worthless in the mornings.

What are some dreams that you have for your work?

For my work to support me financially of course, right now I'm a stereotypical starving artist with a scarf and it's most upsetting. And of course I want to be read by wider audience and make every reader sparkle with joy and laughter. Pretty standard stuff.

What do you think about the publishing industry vs. self-publishing?

The comic industry is a dark and dreary place, especially when it comes to money. Self-publishing is even worse though, at least for me. I sold out almost everything during APE and still didn't even nearly cover the table/printing expenses. I charge less than most artists & I hope to keep it that way somehow.

What do you think about the comic scene currently?

I'm glad everything is going to be iPadded soon and I look forward to a future with no printing costs. I'm very fond of modern French BD (& old ones too of course), their scene is blooming in gorgeous colors and it's getting more beautiful each year.

 

RAPID FIRE ROUND:

When you're in an artblock you: read and drink and hate myself. Mainly the latter.
Your greatest fear: death and fountains.
Something you've always wanted to do but haven't: play/write music, be a girl.
Favorite book/movie/comic: Oh god, book, impossible. Maybe Master & Margarita. Movie: Delicatessen. Comic: Manu Larcenet's "Ordinary Victories". And everything by Jason.
Your darkest secret: I'm actually a decent person.

 

Find more of Roman's work on his website and tumblr!